nothing but the Pleafures of the Palate and the Luft of the Eye for a little while more than his poor Neighbour, for the End of both is Yet for this fhort-lived Luft's Sake, many foolishly forego fo inconceivable a Happiness, and bring themselves into fo extreme and eternal Mifery.

the fame.

In the deep Confideration of these weighty Truths, Man fhall come to feel in his Heart and Mind, efpecially if he at the fame Time represent and set before his Eyes his own End, a hearty fighing and longing after the Mercy of GOD, and will begin to bewail his committed Sins; and to be forry he hath spent his Days fo ill, and not observed or confidered, that he ftandeth in this World as in a Field, in the growing to be a Fruit either in the Love or in the Anger of GOD. He will then first begin to find in himself that he hath not yet laboured at all in the Vineyard of Chrift, but that he is a dry fruitlefs Branch of the Vine. And thus in many a one, whom the Spirit of Chrift toucheth in such a Confideration, there arifeth abundant Sorrow. Grief of Heart, and inward Lamentation over the Days of his Wickedness which he hath spent in Vanity, without any working in the Vineyard of Chrift.

Such a Man whom the Spirit of Chrift thus bringeth into Sorrow and Repentance, fo that

his

his Heart is opened both to know and bewail his Sins, is very eafily to be helped. He needeth but to draw to himself the Promife of Chrift, viz. That God willeth not the Death of a Sinner, but that he wifheth them all to come unto Him, and He will refresh them; and that there is great Joy in Heaven for one Sinner that repenteth. Let fuch a one but lay hold on the Words of Chrift, and wrap himself up into His Meritorious Paffion and Death.

But I will now speak to those, who feel indeed in themselves a Defire to repent, and yet cannot come to acknowledge and bewail their committed Sins. The Flesh faying continually to the Soul, Stay a-while, it is well enough; or it is Time enough To-morrow; and when Tomorrow is come, then the Flesh faith again To-morrow; the Soul in the mean while, fighing and fainting, conceiveth neither any true Sorrow for the Sins it hath committed, nor any Comfort. Unto fuch a one, I fay, I will write a Procefs orWay, which I myself have gone, that he may know what he must do, and how it went with me, if peradventure he be inclined to enter into and pursue the fame, and then he will come to understand what he shall find here afterwards written.

W

Or Way to Converfion.

HEN any Man findeth in himself by the former or any other Confiderations, prefs'd home upon his Mind and Confcience, a Hunger, or Defire to repent, and yet feeleth no true Sorrow in himself for his Sins which he hath committed, but only an Hunger, or Defire of fuch Sorrow; so that the poor captive Soul continually figheth, feareth, and must needs acknowledge itfelf guilty of Sins before the Judgment of GOD. Such a one, I say, can take no better Course than this, namely, to wrap up his Senfes, Mind, and Reason together, and make to himself instantly, as foon as ever he perceiveth in himself the Defire to repent, a mighty ftrong Purpofe and Refolution that he will that very Hour, nay that Minute, immediately enter into Repentance, and go forth from his wicked Way, and not at all regard the Power and Respect of the World. Yea, and if it should be required, would forfake and difefteem all Things for true Repentance fake; and never depart from

B

that

That

that Refolution again, though he should be inade the Fool and Scorn of all the World for it. But that with the full Bent and Strength of his Mind he will go forth from the Beauty and Pleasure of the World, and patiently enter into the Paffion and Death of Christ in and under the Cross, and fet all his Hope and Confidence upon the Life to come. even now in Righteoufnefs and Truth he will enter into the Vineyard of Chrift, and do the Will of God. That in the Spirit and Will of Chrift he will begin and finish all his Actions in this World, and for the Sake of Chrift's Word and Promife, which holds forth to us an Heavenly Reward, willingly take up and bear every Adverfity and Crofs, fo that he may but be admitted into the Communion or Fellowfhip of the Children of Chrift, and in the Blood of the Lamb Jefus Chrifl be incorporated and united unto his Humanity.

He must firmly imagine to himself, and wholly wrap up his Soul in this Perfuafion, that in fuch his Purpofe he fhall obtain the Love of GoD in Chrift Jefus, and that GoD will give unto him, according to his faithful Promife, that noble Pledge, the Holy Ghoft, for an Earnefl; that, in the Humanity of Chrift, as to the Heavenly Subflance, he fhall be born again in himfelf, and that the Spirit of Chrift will renew his Mind with His Love and

Power,

Power, and flrengthen his weak Faith. Alfo that in his divine Hunger he fhall get the Flefh and Blood of Chrift for Food and Drink, in the Defire of his Soul, which hungereth and thirfteth after it as its proper Nutriment; and with the Thirst of the Soul drink the Water of eternal Life out of the fweet Fountain of Jefus Chrift, as Chrift's most true and steadfast Promife is.

He must also wholly and firmly imagine to himself, and set before him, the great Love of God. That God willeth not the Death of a SinIner, but that he repent and believe; that Chrift calleth poor Sinners very kindly and graciously to Himfelf, and will refresh them; that God hath fent his Son into the World, to feek and fave that which is lofs, viz. the poor Repentant and returning Sinner; and that for the poor Sinner's Sake He hath given His Life unto Death, and died for him in our Humanity which He took upon Him.

Furthermore, he must firmly perfuade himself that God in Chrift Jefus will much more readily hear him and receive him to Grace, than he come; and that GoD in the Love of Chrift, in the most dear and precious Name JESUS, cannot will any Evil. That there is no angry Countenance at all in this Name, but that it is the higheft and deepeft Love

B 2

and